Fruit grader



Nov. 22, 41927. 1,650,441

F. L. GLAlzE ET AL RRRRRRRRR ER Patented Nov.. 22, i927.

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Application led September 7, 1926. Serial No. 133,999.

rl`his invention relates to machinesI for grading fruit and Vegetables by automatically separating them raccording to size and is intended more particularly for use in `grading or sizing apples, although, of course, it niay be employed in grading or `sizing potatoes or 'other vegetables or fruits. The present invention has special reference to the separating member, andihas for its bject the provision of a light, strong and durable separating member which mayA be produced at a low costand which will oper; ate eni-ciently to automatically separate the articles according to their sizes without bruising or otherwise injuring them. The

invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

ln` the drawing: Figure l is a sectional elevation of so much of a grading machine as isnecessary to an understanding of our present invention; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a portion of the separating member` and Fig. 4l is an enlarged detail elevation showing the cooperation between the sepan rating member and the means for transmitting motion thereto.

' The frame of the machine, indicated by the reference numeral l, may be of any suitable niaterial and of any approved form, comprising essentially a pair of side bars 2 secured upon posts or supporting legs and provided on their inner sides with cleats 3 forming guides for the separating member. At one end of the frame, an idler roller l is mounted between the side bars for rotation and at the opposite end thereof Va driving drum 5 is carried by a shaft 6 which is journaled in the side bars 2 and extends beyond one side of the same to be equipped with a sprocket ory other device, indicated at 7, whereby rotation may be imparted to the shaft from any convenientmotor. The separating member is an endless flexible belt or chain trained about the roller 4f and the driving drum 5, and the driving drum is, in the present instance, formed with flat sides 8 and notches or grooves 9 at the intersection of adjacent sides whereby the respective elements and connecting links of the separating member may be accommodated and a :firm engagement of the driving drum and the separating vmember effected so that the rotation of the drum will be imparted to the separating member to effect travel of the same.

In making the chain or belt accordingto our invention, a wire strand, preferably of cold rolled steel having axdiameter of about one-quarter of an inch, is bent at regular in` tervals in its length to forni angularly disposed members 1.0 which entend `in zig-zag relation through nearly the entire length of the strand, a short portion of the strand at each end being left unbent so that they two terminals of the strand remain in axial alinen'ient. A second strand of wire is then likeL wise bentA and the two strands are brought together 'so that the angularly disposed por tions 10 will mate to define a substantially square opening and the terminals of the two strands will bebrought together so as to forni a projecting` stud l1 for a purpose `which will presently appear. The straight terminals of the strands are then intimately united, as by welding, to form one integral element or stud ll and at each point where angles of the bent strands meet an intimate union or integral joint is formedby welding or other well-known methods whereby Athe two strands will be joined into one integral transverse element of the separating belt or chain, the integral joints being indicated by the numeral '12. As many'of these trans# verse elements as may be necessary are provided and they are then arranged in series,

as shown in the drawing, and the corre-Y spending angles of adjacent transverse members are hingedly connected by having rings y or eyes 13 engaged around the same, the said rings kbeing fitted in place while in a splitor open condition and then welded so as' to form an integral closed coupling for the adjacent transverse elements. It will be readily noted that these coupling rings will be held against movement in the direction of the length of the several transverse elements by the obliquely-disposed adjacent portions of the respective elements while at the same time the elements will be free to move relative to each other so as to pass readily around the idler roller 4. and the driving drum' 5. When a chain or belt of sufficient length has been formed in the manner described, the ends of said chain or belt are joined by additional coupling links 13 so that an endless separating member results, and this member may be trained about the drum and the idler separating roller before said parts are placed in position in the frame or may be fitted about the roller and the drum after the same are in place and then have its ends joined.

When the separating chain or belt is in position in the frame, the projecting termii Vnal studs 11 will rest upon and ride along the upper surfaces of the cleats 3 so that the upper run of the belt or chain will be supported in a single plane and the articles deposited thereon will be supported with minimum contact with each other and the full area of the openings defined by the transverse elements of the member will be available for the separation of the articles. The articles passing through the separating member will be received in a chute 14 of any preferred form which is arranged to deliver the articles laterally from the machine into a suitable receptacle.

It will be understood that any number of separating members may be provided and they may bek arranged within a single machine so that the articles will be successively passed over a series of separating members in succession, and that the separating members will be provided in various sizes accordping to the requirements of any given circumstance; We have however, to avoid multiplicity of drawing, illustrated only one separating member and, in many instances, one separating member will be suiicient inasmuch as it will be desiredvmerely to separate from the entire stock only the articles having a certain diameter or size. The articles to 'be graded are placed in bulk upon the separating member and will, of course, be carried through the machine with said member when travel is imparted thereto. As movement is transmitted to the bulk of articles, they will be drawn out in ay stream extending over t-he separating member and all of the articles having a. diameter less than the diameters of the openings in the separating member will pass through the said openings, the larger and more desirable objects being retained upon the separating chain or belt and being carried by it to the delivery end of the machine where they may be removed by hand or be directed into4 a suitable receptacle.

It will be readily noted that We have provided a separating member which is free of sharp angles so that it will not be apt to bruise or otherwise injure any of the articles by contact therewith and the novel construction shown and. described provides a maximum open separating area for a chain or belt of given dimensions. The method of manufacture employed produces an exceedingly strongvand durable chain or belt so that repairs will be very seldom needed and the cost or maintenance will, therefore, be negligible.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

l. A separating chain for graders cornprising a plurality ol hingedly connected transverse elements, each of said elements consisting of a pair of wire strands having angularly disposed portions extending from end to end of the element with the abutting angles of the strands integrally united.

2. A separating chain for graders comprising a plurality of transverse elements, each element being integral from end to end and formed to define approximately square openings with the sides of the openings arranged obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis ot' the element, and endless closed rings engaged about the angles of adjacent elements whereby to hingedly connect said elements.

3. A separating chain for graders comprising a plurality of transverse elements, the adjacent elements being hingedly connected and each element consisting of a pair of wire strands having its intermediate poi tions bent alternately obliquely in opposite directions and having its ends disposed in axial alineinent, the strands being reversely arranged and integrally united at their ends and at the abutting angles.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures.

FREDERICK L. GLAIZE. 

